2015 Annual Report

NEW YORK STATE OUTDOOR EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Phone: 607.591.6422
Fax: .607.753.5982
Email: [email protected]
www.nysoea.org
Annual Report edited by Jill Eisenstein and Layout by Matt Fraher
A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Reaching and Teaching Outside of the Box
NYSOEA
SUNY Cortland
Dept. of Rec. & Leisure Studies
PO Box 2000
Cortland, NY 13045
Executive Board
Tim Stanley
President
Elizabeth Young
VP for Administration
Jolene Thompson
VP for Programs
Jessica Kratz
VP for Human Resources
Eric Powers
VP for Communications
Loren Smith
Secretary
Elizabeth VanAcker
Treasurer
Regional Directors
Western
Kimberly Adriaansen
Northern
Brian DeGroat
Central
Josh Teeter
Metro
Sunny Corrao
Eastern
Kate Brill
What would our world look like without outdoor
educators? I imagine a world without outdoor
educators would be like a world without the
Trufala tree, the post-apocalyptic world Dr. Suess
envisioned in The Lorax. I am convinced our
work, though sometimes underappreciated, is epic
in its reach.
What is the impact of the New York State Outdoor Education Association and its
membership? We have surveyed our 40 affiliate organizations to better understand
our collective effort in educating New Yorkers about the natural world found in urban,
suburban and rural settings throughout the state. If you are an affiliate and have not yet
participated, please fill out the survey here!1 I’m sure you are as excited as I am to see the
whole picture of what we are doing in connecting New Yorkers with the environment!
The Annual Report is a time to reflect on
our organization’s accomplishments. This
document recaps all that we do above and
beyond our daily work as professionals. It is a
testament that despite all odds, we are united
in purpose to fulfill a greater vision. We are
each other’s support; we give one another
strength and encourage one another to keep
opening the doors to the outside world. The
timelessness of the outdoors invigorates,
rejuvenates, enriches and inspires us. The
outdoors is vibrating with life, and we are
drawn to its embrace.
This year, we moved our annual appeal to
coincide with spring and tax return season
in the hopes that our membership could be
even more generous in their annual giving. It was indeed the right decision, as you can
see within the pages of this report. The annual appeal raises money for the NYSOEA
endowment that, once it matures in a few years, will help fund initiatives to further our
reach and organizational goals.
Also new this year: the regional directors planned regional events during National
Environmental Education Week (http://eeweek.org), April 19–25, 2015. From green drinks
to litter pick-ups, NYSOEA was represented in all five of our regions during the week
leading up to Earth Day. We hope this is the beginning of a long tradition and that NYSOEA
1. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1B1KB0-k7HNv9rDKd-mtx7KF0jbTRO69Wd_zh8cbzW84/viewform
members will not only participate in but organize and plan their own events across the
state. Contact your regional director today to begin planning something for the next
Environmental Education Week, April 16–22, 2016.
Individually, we each have an impact on those around us, but our collective efforts have
ripple effects that reach deep into the very fabric of our society. We are teaching people to
think outside the box by going outside the box! The total impact of our combined efforts
will make a difference to future of the world, which is why the New York State Outdoor
Education Association is so important. This organization helps us realize we are not alone
in our work or in our passion to connect a new generation to the outdoors.
2014 Awards Winners
The Saturday night banquet at the 46th annual NYSOEA conference at Silver Bay YMCA
in Lake George was the backdrop for the presentation of the organization’s prestigious
annual awards. The following carefully-selected recipients were presented with their
awards by NYSOEA president Tim Stanley.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Melvyn Morris
Melvyn Morris was awarded the 2014 Leadership Award,
recognizing his hard work in bringing the Open Space
Stewardship Program (OSSP), which offers students and
teachers the ability to create and participate in selfdirected environmental research, to Long Island.
NYSOEA’s Leadership Award is presented annually to
honor and recognize the outstanding classroom teacher,
outdoor environmental educator or interpreter who has
used the outdoors to enrich curriculum or interpreted
the natural world in order to expand the environmental
appreciation of children or adults. Founded in 2006, the
OSSP has succeeded in connecting students with the
natural environment and developing their environmental
awareness for over eight years.
2014 Award Winners
OUTDOOR EDUCATOR AWARD
Andy Angstrom
Andy Angstrom was the recipient of the 2014 NYSOEA
Outdoor Educator Award, recognizing both his consistent
and valuable contributions to the field of outdoor
education and to the organization.
NYSOEA’s Outdoor Education Award is presented to the
outstanding classroom teacher, outdoor/environmental
educator or interpreter in the Association who has
used the outdoors to enrich curriculum and/or interpret
the natural world in a way that has expanded the
environmental appreciation of children or adults. In addition to a measureable contribution
to outdoor education, candidates for this award are also required to be active in the field for
a minimum of five years and a NYSOEA member for at least two years.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AWARD
Chris Maron
The Environmental Impact Award, presented to Chris
Maron, honors his tremendous vision and energy in
promoting outdoor recreation, community partnership,
and economic vitality in the northern region with the
Champlain Area Trails organization.
NYSOEA’s Environmental Impact Award is presented to
candidates or organizations that are involved in research,
conservation, and political action that has influenced,
protected and/or successfully dealt with problems
associated with the environment. Champlain Area Trails
[CATS] was founded in 2009 with the goal of connecting
communities by conserving land and creating and
maintaining a network of multi-use trails throughout
the Champlain Valley in Essex County, NY. In the five
years since its inception, and with Maron at the helm as
Executive Director of the organization, CATS has already
developed 35 miles of trails.
2014 Award Winners
LITERARY AWARD
Tim Grant and Gail Littlejohn
Tim Grant and Gail Littlejohn of Green Teacher magazine
were awarded the 2014 NYSOEA Literary Award. Written
by and for educators, this quarterly publication connects
with a vast audience, fostering learning and inspiring
action on environmental and global issues since 1991.
Green Teacher is available by subscription, and through
affiliates of NYSOEA.
SERVICE AWARD
Jolene Thompson
NYSOEA awarded Jolene Thompson the 2014 Service
Award to recognize her outstanding efforts to improve
and support several key elements of the organization.
NYSOEA’s Service Award is presented annually to
candidates who are members for at least three years and
who demonstrate outstanding support of Association
goals by contribution of personal time and energy.
Thompson’s contributions included bringing the 2012
NYSOEA conference to Brookhaven National Laboratory
in Long Island and serving as a 2012 conference chair, collaborating with subsequent
annual conference committees, and providing continuous support to organize and grow the
recently-formed NYSOEA Development Committee.
2014 NYSOEA Conference
Silver Bay YMCA
The 46th Annual New York State Outdoor Education Association Conference, “The Heart
of Outdoor Education” was held on the shores of Lake George at the Silver Bay Conference
Center from Thursday, October 2 through Sunday, October 5.
The conference, always a highlight of the year for NYSOEA, featured over 40 workshops on
everything from the basics of tracking to education in a green classroom. Keynote speaker
Andy Angstrom, a charter and life member of NYSOEA and outdoor educator for over 40
years, addressed the group on Saturday about the importance of outdoor education. The
evening festivities included a camp fire, a casual reception with authors and artists, the
silent and live auctions, a variety show, and the annual cocktail hour, banquet and awards
ceremony.
The 2014 conference afforded educators the opportunity to network, meet new
acquaintances, catch up with old friends, learn more about outdoor and environmental
education, and get completely inspired and rejuvenated.
A special “thank you” to the 2014 Conference Chairs: Laura Carey, Fred Von Mechow and
Marsha Guzewich.
2014 NYSOEA Conference
Below are excerpts from one (new) attendee’s notes,
adapted for this publication.
PERSPECTIVE OF A NYSOEA NEWCOMER
By Maren V. Morsch
The welcome and invocation address made me feel at
peace with the conference and with all around me. “Toh!” I
affirmatively exclaimed at each earthly blessing and refrain
of “Do we agree that this is important, and deserves our
thought and attention?” David Arquette, Bear Clan of the
Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, had succeeded in erasing my
jitters, and guiding my focus to the present moment as we
all prepared to do the inevitable icebreaker session.
What felt like moments later, I’d been whisked off into the
sunshine of a warming Adirondack morning, to shout and
run simultaneously, to meet new friends awkwardly with
nose jousting, silly state-based handshakes, and the birthday
ring-string game. My jaw muscles hurt from grinning as we
moved on from the sunny circle to the day’s next workshop.
“Oh, hi, Oh!” I can’t help but repeat as I unpacked the car.
In the afternoon, aboard a floating classroom on beautiful
Lake George, I relished environmental education-focused
conversation, basked in the sunshine, and tried to get a good
Secchi disk reading before studying some plankton and
working on my hydrologic vocabulary. I was already running
ideas through my head for what to do with the much smaller
bodies of water we study at my park as we disembarked
and dispersed to the next workshops.
I enjoyed sharing meals with tables of all-new faces...
We laughed and swapped stories and myriad questions
during the dinner hour while watching the dynamic and
legendary NYSOEA evening auction, then happily got to
work transforming my supervisor into a (rather convincing,
I might add) version of the iconic comedic genius Mork
for the variety show. And of course, this was accomplished
using, as outdoor educators are apt, only that which can be
reused, repurposed, and scavenged from the kitchen and the
pockets of the others at the table.
2014 NYSOEA Conference
That night, I sank into sleep, thinking about all I had
learned, laughed over, accomplished, and the many
new places and people I had met…
Thanks to all who made my first NYSOEA
conference an awesome, entertaining, and
informative one.
NYSOEA’S WINTER WONDERLAND
February 20-22, 2015, over 40 outdoor educators gathered at
Taconic Outdoor Education Center for a weekend of winter
fun and professional development. Winter Weekend serves
not only as a time for outdoor educators to attend “camp
for grown-ups” and re-energize for the upcoming year, but
also provides informative workshops to inspire educator
programming. Highlights of this year’s Winter Weekend
included a slippery game of broom ball on Duck Pond,
Saturday night’s fireside trade blanket and sing-along, and
making and launching hot air balloons. Inside workshops
included opportunities to fashion bone tools, make shakeres
and use dichotomous keys to identify animal skulls. Outside
workshop participants enjoyed winter tree identification,
snowshoeing to explore the landscape, and winter
macroinvertebrate studies.
Nature provided a snowy backdrop to complement this
year’s annual Winter Weekend. Saturday was decorated
with a lovely snowstorm, which made Sunday a perfect day
to take advantage of nearby Fahnestock State Park’s cross
country ski and snowshoe trails. It was truly a weekend to
appreciate and enjoy all that winter has to offer.
We hope you will be able to join us for next year’s Winter
Weekend, which will take place February 19-21, 2016,
at Taconic Outdoor Education Center. It is a wonderful
weekend not only for outdoor educators to connect and
reinvigorate, but also a great opportunity for anyone who
is interested in learning more about exploring or teaching
about nature. For information about Winter Weekend 2016,
email the NYSOEA Eastern Region Representative at
[email protected].
Brother Yusuf Camp Scholarships
Making a Difference
NYSOEA would like to expand its camp sponsorships. Each year in the past, the
organization has raised money to sponsor two campers from underserved areas in the
state to attend Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) summer camps. Most
of the money was raised by selling waffles at a single event, The Fresh Air Fund’s Maple
Celebration, held the third Saturday of March. But NYSOEA would like to enable a child
from each of its five regions to spend a summer connecting with nature.
This year, NYSOEA officially named this summer camp sponsorship fund the Brother
Yusuf Camper Scholarship in memory of Yusuf Burgess, a long time NYSOEA member.
Connecting children from underserved neighborhoods with nature was a passion for
Brother Yusuf. He was a founding member of the NYSOEA Diversity Committee, and
coordinator of the DEC’s Capital District Campership Diversity Program. He became
known throughout the country for starting Youth Ed-Venture and Nature Network to help
take inner-city youths on trips into the natural world -- kayaking, camping, hiking, skiing,
and fishing. And for years he helped build the Children & Nature Network, an organization
which supports the international movement to connect children, their families and their
communities to the natural world.
Brother Yusuf Camp Scholarships
He grew up in a tough neighborhood, Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects in the 1950s and 1960s,
but his mother made sure he could “escape” to Prospect Park, where he would climb trees
and catch tadpoles. His last years were spent helping the inner city youth of Albany. In an
article written after he died, the Albany Times Union reported something he had written
about his youth: “I often reflect back to my early childhood in Prospect Park, when my
world was fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. I know now that
there was an innate part of me that was drawn to nature.
“Yet many of today’s children are growing up in busy cities without nearby parks or
‘special places’ to experience the beautiful and awe-inspiring. They stand to lose a very
important part of what it is to be human.”
After 2018, NYSOEA hopes to fund the scholarship from its endowment fund. In the
meantime, the scholarship initiative is going to be a main focus of the NYSOEA Diversity
Committee. Members can join the committee by e-mailing the chair Marylynne Malone
at [email protected]. Those who would like to make an online donation to the new
Brother Yusuf Camper Scholarship can visit www.nysoea.org.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS...
Ben Gomez, Newburgh, NY
For me to have a chance to get out of Newburgh was a real
privilege. When I arrived at the camp I noticed the environment, how clean and peaceful it was. The most memorable
experience for me was the overnight trip. I learned how
to create a camp, make a fire, and prevent a bear attack. I
know that I will remember those things for the rest of my
life. I also enjoyed our cabin time. Just hanging out with
the other kids, playing kickball and basketball. Swimming
in the lake was fun and so was learning to play volleyball,
and kayaking. These were all new activities for me.
Zachary Armstrong, Saranac Lake, NY
Per mom (Rachel Armstrong): Zachary had never been
to camp before. I am a single mom so we didn’t have the
money. He met all kinds of kids from all over New York
State. He enjoyed hiking and really enjoyed the trapping
class. He actually has made friends with a local trapper
that will now be taking him along for trapping adventures.
2016 NYSOEA Conference
Located on the Finger Lakes Trail just 10 minutes from Corning, New York, Watson
Homestead and Retreat Center provides the perfect setting for environmental educators
to refresh and recharge at the 2016 NYSOEA Conference, “Portals to the Outdoors.”
Workshops strands like “Viewing Nature through Art” and “Nature Maker” will swing
open our minds to creative teaching techniques, while workshops in the “STEM from
Nature” and “Classroom Connections” strands will frame practical skills and techniques for
engaging children in nature study.
In addition to workshops in the conference strand “Pathways to the Past,” several nearby
historic museums provide conference attendees with additional gateways to explore the
past, including the Corning Museum of Glass, Heritage Village of the Southern Finger
Lakes Trail, and the Rockwell Museum. The final conference strand is “Nurturing Nature,” where we will explore how outdoor
education can be a gateway to healthy lives and a healthy planet. In keeping with this
strand, we are excited to announce that the 2016 Keynote Speaker will be long-distance
hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis. Davis was the 2012 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year,
and she holds the record for the fastest hike (male or female) on the entire Appalachian
Trail. She will talk about her own journey to sustainability and the health benefits of
outdoor recreation.
National Environmental Education Week
in the Empire State
A new NYSOEA tradition began in 2015 as the NYSOEA celebrated National Environmental
Education Week, April 19-25. This week leading up Earth Day is a signature program of the
National Environmental Education Foundation. Recognizing the importance of this week,
NYSOEA Regional Directors worked with affiliate organizations to promote environmental
education and environmental awareness in New York State. From Litter pick-ups to
informative programs on bats, NYSOEA members and the general public honored our
environmental heritage across the state. As a member-driven organization, we hope that
more members and affiliates will step forward with this grassroots effort to expand the
opportunities to share our passion and love of the great outdoors through a diverse and
eclectic offerings in 2016! Reach out to your regional directors today and start planning!
The next National Environmental Education Week is April 17-23, 2016! Join us in a
collaborative partnership!
NEEF is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, connecting
people with knowledge to improve the quality of their lives and the health of the
planet. NEEF sees a future where by 2022, 300 million Americans will actively use
environmental knowledge to ensure the well-being of the earth and its people. Learn more
at neefusa.org.
Earth Day Events
CENTRAL REGION
[email protected]
NYSOEA MEMBERS LEARNED ABOUT BATS AND GEOLOGY
April 22 at Robert H. Treman State Park, local wildlife rehabilitator Victoria Campbell from
Wild Things Sanctuary (currently specializes in bats) had hoped to release a few bats but
due to low temperatures she thought it best to wait. USFW was on hand with the agency’s
hibernacula display that big and little kids were able to play in, and New York State Parks
Natural Resource Stewardship biologist Tom Hughes was on hand to answer questions.
On April 23 at Mossy Bank Park, the Ted Markham Nature Center was filled to capacity for
its first program of the year highlighting the region’s geology with a presentation about the
formation of the Finger Lakes and the many gorges in the region.
Earth Day Events
METRO REGION
[email protected]
NYSOEA MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN A HIKE-A-THON FUNDRAISER
On a beautiful spring day in April, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park held their 6th Annual
Hike-a-Thon to help raise funds for the restoration of the 20-plus miles of hiking trails in
the Park. The 100+ people that attended the event helped to raise over $9,400. Please
check out the Friends’ event page (vancortlandt.org/events) for information on how you can
participate in other upcoming events.
Earth Day Events
NORTHERN REGION
[email protected]
NYSOEA MEMBERS ORGANIZED COMMUNITY GREEN-UP EVENTS
Earth Day 2015 marked the first of what we hope will be a new annual tradition in the
North Country. Borrowing a statewide idea from our neighbors in Vermont, the towns of
Willsboro and Keeseville organized community Green-Up events to spruce up town centers
and remove trash from roadways. NYSOEA Regional Director Brian DeGroat found willing
partners from both towns including the Keeseville Business Association, the Supervisor’s
Office of Willsboro, and the Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center. The Keeseville
event was particularly successful with over 100 community members participating in trash
pick-up, brush clearing, and flower planting projects. Event organizer Carolyn Bowley
“thought it was a very successful event with much support from our local businesses and
residents. I see the value and the need for planning it as an annual event where we can
continue to grow the comradery of our community.” About 15 Willsboro residents, along
with the staff of the PMOEC, set out to clean up some of the worst roads in Willsboro,
collecting over 10 large garbage bags full of trash and recyclables. “This was our first year
trying this event, and although it started out small, we hope that it will grow each year”
said DeGroat. “Maybe next year we’ll be able to expand to the entire Champlain Valley.”
Earth Day Events
EASTERN REGION
[email protected]
SCENIC HUDSON’S MOUNT BEACON EARTH DAY CLEANUP
Thirty volunteers celebrated Earth Day by helping Scenic Hudson spruce up its Mount
Beacon Park in the City of Beacon, Dutchess County. They engaged in three projects —
weeding and mulching planting beds at the park entrance, creating and maintaining water
bars on the trail to Mount Beacon’s summit, and picking up trash along the trail and on
the mountaintop. (Zero to Go, a waste management company focused on composting and
recycling, hauled away the trash.) Thanks to their hard work, the park was ready for the
crowds of hikers who visit during the busy spring and summer seasons.
Other Events
WESTERN REGION
[email protected]
ORGANIZED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR ACTIVITY EXCHANGE
Great ideas are meant for sharing! On February 11, 2015, a group of Western Region
Environmental/Outdoor Educators from various organizations gathered together to share
their favorite environmental/outdoor education activities. Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve
in Depew hosted the networking and professional development NYSOEA event.
The event kicked-off with a casual trail walk to enjoy the beautiful winter morning with
fellow nature-lovers and a BYO lunch. It was an excellent opportunity for professionals
to “put faces to names” and get to know one-another! During the afternoon, over a dozen
different activities allowed educators to experience new ideas first-hand. Participating
organizations included NYS Department of Conservation, Buffalo Museum of Science and
Tifft Nature Preserve, NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Beaver Meadow
Audubon Center, Jamestown Audubon Center, Buffalo Zoo, Girl Scouts of WNY, Pfieffer
Nature Center, and Erie County SPCA, Penn Dixie Paleontological Center, classroom
teachers, and musician, Mama Earth.
By sharing and directly experiencing activities, educators gained perspective on what
elements make an activity successful (ex. if you are having fun, then your audience will
have fun!) What kind of fun did participants have? They sang and danced to earth-friendly
songs, played Coyote Tag, Animal Charades, “unwrapped” geological secrets of the Niagara
Region, extracted plastic beads from toothpaste, investigated composting worms, made
cordage from dogbane, and much more! New and experienced educators came together
with great ideas and left with new experiences. Contact [email protected] for
more opportunities such as this, or if you are interested in participating in 2016’s Western
Region Activity Exchange!
NYSOEA Spring Annual Appeal
The Annual Appeal was launched at Winter Weekend at Taconic Outdoor Education Center
and culminated on Earth Day 2015. Thank you to all those who showed their support to
the continuing work of the NYSOEA. Your contributions will have a long lasting impact,
as the money that was slated to the Endowment Fund will, upon maturation, help fund
NYSOEA initiatives into the future. The most immediate goal is to reach $100,000 by 2018,
our 50th Anniversary! Revenue for the Endowment is received in two ways, the Annual
Appeal and the NYSOEA Auction (that happens each year at the Annual Conference).
If you did not contribute this year, we encourage you to consider a tax-deductible donation
in the 2016 Annual Appeal. OR... find interested individuals who believe in the value of
outdoor education and recruit these individuals to be donors. If you know of someone who
we should share information with please e-mail [email protected].
Annual Appeal Contributors
$1 – $49
$100 — $200
Kristy Sullivan
25.00
Jack Swan
100.00
Jerry Passer
25.00
Gary Christensen
100.00
Loren Smith
25.00
Henry Dewey
100.00
Jolene Thompson
25.00
Midge Monat
100.00
Kimberly Adriaansen
30.00
MaryLynne Malone
100.00
Brian Degroat
46.00
Leon Ellis Jr.
100.00
Bob & Hillela Ward
100.00
Kathy Ambrosini
100.00
Ellyce Cavanaugh
100.00
Susan Hereth
100.00
$50 — ­$99
Nalesnik, Theodore &
Margaret Maruschak
50.00
Snapper Petta
50.00
Elizabeth VanAcker
100.00
Fred Von Mechow
50.00
Jessica Kratz
110.00
Colleen Kristich
50.00
Carol Culhane
125.00
Kathryn Brill
50.00
Nancy & Marvin Stanley
150.00
Lucinda Hurley
72.00
Marty Strong
150.00
$200+
Reba Lindsay
200.00
Timothy Stanley
250.00
TOTAL: $2,553
Treasurer’s Report
Starting Balance Jan. 1, 2014 - 3,299.66
Expenses
Phone (including InterCall)
2000
Darleen Lieber (office)
5000
Jonathan Duda (web)
1000
Postage/Printing 1750
Supplies150
Insurances2006
Taxes & fees50
Website950
Advertising1000
Awards Ceremony500
Conference 2015
8000
Conference 20161000
DEC Camperships700
Winter Weekend2866
Accounting1000
Memberships (NAAEE)
0.00
Total ________________________ 28,872.00
EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS:
Endowment Fund
Value one year ago…............. $42,542.46
Value on October 23, 2015..…$47,596.69
Income
Membership
6000
2015 Appeal
2581
Conference 2015
16,000
Winter Weekend/
Maple Celebration
3225.73
Store
750
Camper Donations
700
Total ____________________ 29,256.73
Balance …………………………..3,678.39
Herm Weiskotten Memorial
Fund Endowment
Value one year ago....…….... $3,828.77
Value on October 23, 2015.... $4,962.36
General Fund
Value one year ago………...…... $37,545.90
Value on October 23, 2015......… $38,257.84
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $90,816.84